1. Definition

The two main categories of hydrocarbon binders used in road construction and maintenance are coal tar and bitumen, as well as their by-products, which can be combined.

Contemporary history records that coal tar was the first hydrocarbon binder for road use because, at the end of the 19th century, the advent of the automobile forced road and street managers to combat the dust generated by traffic [1] . Spraying water on the road limited the amount of dust, but was only effective for a short time. By contrast, coal tar, a co-product...